Three out of five people in BC who plan to take a leisure trip this year say they would visit Squamish at least once, either for a day or for overnight trip.
The findings were part of a new survey conducted by Tourism Squamish. The new COVID-19 B.C. Traveler Behavior and Sentiment Survey collected responses between May 15 and 21.
The survey’s purpose was to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted travel plans for the remainder of 2020.
The survey was answered by those visitors who subscribe to Tourism Squamish updates.
Of those who plan to visit Squamish, almost half say they would stay overnight. Mountain biking, sightseeing, hiking, visiting family and friends and the Sea to Sky Gondola were some of the activities the potential visitors are planning.
The survey also found that visitors expect local businesses follow COVID-19 procedures, in both indoor and outdoor settings.
Providing hand sanitizers and wipes, enforcing physical distancing and flexible booking and cancellations were the top three measures expected by visitors.
As many as 84% of respondents said they would withhold future purchases from businesses that did not make them feel confident about the precautions.
Last year, as many as 35% of visitors were from BC and 29% of them were visiting from Vancouver and other Metro Vancouver communities.
According to the survey, those from Vancouver or Lower Mainland are much more likely to have already decided to visit Squamish, whereas over half (51%) of respondents from elsewhere in BC are unsure.
Almost all respondents (95%) have visited Squamish before.
